6th Annual Art-A-Thon

Distinction Gallery and ArtHatch are excited to announce our Sixth Annual Art-A-Thon, a marathon of artistic creation to benefit the non-profit art center’s teen program.  25 local and ArtHatch teen program artists from San Diego County will join together to create artwork for 24 straight hours.  Completed artworks will be auctioned off starting at $50.  Artworks will also have a “buy now” retail price. Proceeds from art sales will be divided between the artists and ArtHatch to help support the centers free art education program for local teens.  The opening reception for the exhibition with the artists in attendance, will be held the weekend after the event on Saturday, January 14th from 6-10 pm with beer compliments of Stone Brewery, wine compliments of BK Cellars, treats compliments of Jimbo’s… Naturally, and live music.  Artists who are able to create for the full 24 hours will receive a $25 gift certificate donated by Artist & Craftsman Supply or BLICK Art Materials.
 
Art-A-Thon is as much a performance piece as it is an exercise in creativity and endurance.  This is a unique opportunity for patrons to experience the creative process of the art they collect first-hand.  Painting, drawing, collage, print and photography will be among the featured media, with participating artists ranging from teen artists, emerging, and professional.  Artists participating include Kelly Vivanco and Peter Hillier, Lindy Ivey, Victor Roman, Ashley Gallagher, Jennifer Anichowski, Nicole Waszak, Martita, Travis Sevilla, Jenny Barber, Evgeniya Golik, and many others.
 
Art-A-Thon will be held at Distinction Gallery and throughout the ArtHatch building from 12pm on Saturday, January 7th through Sunday, January 8th at 12pm.  The public is invited to come and watch artists create during the entire 24 hours live or online via Ustream. The Opening Reception will be held the following weekend after the event on Saturday, January 14th from 6-10pm. The artwork will be available for viewing and bidding in the gallery and on distinctionart.com through February 4, 2017 at 2pm.    
 
Distinction Gallery was opened in 2004 both to fill a void in the community and to fulfill the dream of a vital arena for Urban and Contemporary Figurative Art in the North County of San Diego.  In 2011 ArtHatch was added to the complex, which rents affordable studio and exhibition space to 45 local artists.  Distinction Gallery has an ambitious schedule of 12 exhibits per year. Director, Melissa Inez Walker, curates the gallery bringing in over 100 emerging artists from around the world annually.
 
Since 2010, ArtHatch has been providing studio space, art supplies, mentorships, and exhibition space to teen artists -most of them underserved and at-risk youths - free of charge.  The teen program focuses on the development of talent and skill in the visual arts; and the teens are introduced to a wide variety of media such as oil, acrylic, spray paint, digital arts, and metals.  Local and international artists work directly with students to provide lessons that develop visual awareness along with a functional art vocabulary, hold discussions on art throughout history, teach them to analyze and to recognize a good composition, and provide instruction for skill development and practice.  The goals are to promote the fine arts by giving young artists the opportunity to discover, create, and display their unique style, elegance, and technique. 
 
The mentorship of emerging and established artists is absolutely critical for the success of the teen program.  Our teen artists hope to become professional artists, designers, curators, registrars and teachers themselves one day; and the guidance of successful art world adults is invaluable to these teens in terms of instruction and networking.
 
All donors will receive a tax receipt.  Donors with donations over $500 will have a permanent plaque on display in the gallery.
 
Exhibition and Auction will run from January 14, 2017 - February 4, 2017.
Auction ends at 2pm PST on Saturday, February 4, 2017.